Ureaplasma urealyticum and Mycoplasma hominis infection in women with urogenital diseases.

PURPOSE The aim of the study was to assess the incidence of Ureaplasma urealyticum (U. urealyticum) and Mycoplasma hominis (M. hominis) infection in women with urogenital diseases. MATERIAL AND METHODS M. hominis and U. urealyticum was assessed in 541 women from gynaecological and STD outpatient clinics, aged 18-55 years. A Mycoplasma IST 2 kit was used for biochemical determination of mycoplasmal infections (BioMerieux). Additionally, 248 of patients were examined for Chlamydia trachomatis (C. trachomatis), Trichomonas vaginalis (T. vaginalis) and Candida albicans (C. albicans) infection. C. trachomatis was detected by direct immunofluorescence method. The standard culture methods (Biomed) were applied to detect T. vaginalis and C. albicans. RESULTS U. urealyticum was detected in 161 (29.8%), and M. hominis in 20 (3.7%) women. U. urealyticum infection alone was observed in 37/79 (46.8%), and 1/8 (12.5%) patient had only M. hominis infection. The U. urealyticum infection showed most frequent coexistence with C. albicans (29.1%), and less frequent with C. trachomatis (13.9%) and M. hominis infection (10.1%). The highest percentage of mycoplasma-positive cultures was found in patients of STD clinic and in infertile women. In patients with ureaplasmal infection only the most common clinical symptom was vaginal discharge and vulval/vaginal irritation. In 8.1% of the women, the course of U urealyticum infection was asymptomatic. CONCLUSIONS The incidence rate of genitourinary infections due to U urealyticum was significantly higher as compared to M. hominis infection. Sexual mycoplasmal infections were most frequently reported in the group of patients of STD clinic and correlated with age and sexual activity.